This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

00 Wines Chardonnay VGW - This wine was not in my wheelhouse. Fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs will love this Chardonnay as, IMO, grapefruit dominated the palate. New Zealand SB is not in my wheelhouse, so I cannot be very objective in scoring this wine. For what it is worth, the color was straw colored and you could tell it was a younger wine. The nose showed lemon and citrus, with some minerality. The palate was dominated with grapefruit and citrus, some stone fruit and limestone lurking in the background and some bitter herbs on the finish. I do feel like this wine may require more time to show at its best, but, as I stated, not in my wheelhouse. No score.

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2003 Casanova - My number one wine; group's number two. It had everything going for it...nice deep purple color with a slight reddish tint, but very little, if any, bricking. The nose was perfumed with lavender, cherry blossom, and chocolate, intermixed with spice, herbs, earth and a hint of oak. The palate showed red and black fruit, with some earthiness and spice. The tannins and acidity were nicely balanced with the fruit showing very well. I would have never pegged this for a 2003. In fact, I had the 2010 Casanova picked for this wine. Perhaps the 2010 needs a few more years, as I expect it to be even better than this 2003 eventually. However, in the immortal words from Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings, "...but it is not this day!" Today, the 2003 rocked! 94+

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero - My number 5 pick in an outstanding group! This wine showed nice fruit on the nose with some earthiness and grilled meat on the nose. The palate showed gobs of black and red fruit with a hint of sweetness. It also showed some herbs and toasted oak on the palate. Very nicely integrated fruit, but still a little on the acidic side. I thought this was one of the 2010 wines (actually chose it as the Valdicava). Finish was nice, but a little short on this bottle. Seems to still have quite a bit of life left it based on the fruit and acidity. A very good wine and I scored it a 91+, with potential to add a point or two in the future.

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2010 Valdicava - The nose showed earthiness and cigar box black cherries and some cocoa with hints of cedar and spice. The palate showed great balance between acid and tannins and also between fruit and tertiary flavors. This wine was quite different from the rest, but very enjoyable! A wine I could drink with or without food.

This was probably the complex and balanced wine of the group. It was definately old world, and I thought is was the oldest wine of the group due to the tertiary flavors that were so prevalent. I vacillated between this wine and the 2003 Casanova as my WOTN. This was a solid 94 points and is drinking quite well now!

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2010 Casanova - Another very nice wine in an excellent line-up! Nose was perfumed (which, in hindsight, should have clued me in that it was a Casanova) with violets, cherry blossom and sweet cigar box the most prevalent, but also hints of spices and herbs and some new leather. The mouthfeel was nice with tannins present, but relatively smooth and acidity at a good level. The palate featured plenty of red fruit and earthiness, along with sweet cigar, leather and spice, and some toasty oak in the background. I thought the acidity was too balanced to be a young wine, so I guessed it was the '07 Poggio (Yes, I suck at guessing wines in blind tastings, but it is still fun!). Mine and the group's number 3 wine. Note: I only scored this one point lower than my number 1 wine...that is how close the top 3 were for me! This wine will undoubtably improve with additional bottle age. I would give it another 5 years to peak. 93+ with potential to increase another 2+ points.

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2012 Altesino - The nose was very nice with cherry and raspberry dominating, but also some plum, spice and sweet cedar on the nose. The palate showed plenty of ripe fruit, with red cherry the most prevalent. It also was had a nice balance of dusty cocoa, vanilla and other red and black fruits with a hint of earthiness and forest floor. The wine had a freshness to it that told me it was not one of the older wines, i.e., 2003 or 2007, but it could easily have been a '10. In fact, I picked this as the 2010 Casanova. The wine was also balanced in terms of tannins, acidity and fruit, and, in retrospect, a hint of tertiary flavors starting to emerge. I believe this wine will improve with additional bottle age, but is also drinking well now.

This wine was a pleasant surprise! I thought it would be too young, and was praying during the tasting that it was not the one wine which I was underwhelmed with because I have 10 more of these in my cellar. Group's WOTN, my number 4. A solid 92 with potential to improve.

This week's Zoom tasting featured Italian Brunello's. The wines were double decanted at around 4:00 to remove sediment, poured into glass jars and sealed for transport at 4:30, and poured into glasses at 6:30 for consumption. The wines were served single blind format (knew all the wines in the line-up, but not which wine was in the glass) and as follows:

- 2003 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero
- 2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
- 2010 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova
- 2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
- 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie
- 2015 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW (Starter wine)

All wines were ranked blindly. The group's top 3 wines were as follows: (1) 2012 Altesino; (2) 2010 Valdicava; and the 2003 Casanova di Neri. My rankings were slightly different. I ranked as follows: (1) 2003 Casanova; (2) 2010 Valdicava; (3) 2010 Casanova; (4) 2012 Altesino; (5) 2007 Poggio Antico BdM Altero; and (6) 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie. All wines were very good, except the 2013 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie wasn't really in my wheelhouse. I also was not too crazy with the 00 Chardonnay.

2013 Azienda - This wine is not in my wheelhouse right now. It could very well be the wine is too young or partially closed down. I thought it too acidic and too much of an anise flavor. Nose was subdued, with underwhelming fruit and, as one taster commented, a soapiness to the nose. I also smelled cut grass, which seemed strange for a Brunello. For now, the wine is drinkable, but disjointed (at least this bottle). I do not believe the bottle was flawed, and attribute it to age (young and partially closed down). If I owned this wine, I would not open a bottle for at least a couple years. My number 6 of the six Brunello wines. I am not officially scoring the wine because I believe it is partially closed down, but if I had to score it, 89 would be generous, with the caveat that this wine potentially has a huge upside in the future.